When something is on your mind..

Do you ever feel worried about something that you just can't shake from your mind? Perhaps you know that you have to deal with it eventually. Worrying about it doesn't make it go away, it just gets pushed away for now... but will come back and bite you sometime whether you like it or not.

I will not lie, It has taken me 10 yrs to deal with my Mom's death, compound that will my Dad's passing, my spouse being diagnosed with breast cancer among other things.. This past few months I have felt that there is no choice in the matter now. I must act now! If I don't will other areas of my life begin to fail? including my own physical and mental health. If you have been anywhere near me in the last month you will have probably noticed that I have come to a realization about my own life and the transitions that need to occur to move forward... a few tears have been shed.

I am not one to ask for help... "I can do, it's what needs to be done "has been a motto on mine for sometime. I now know that asking for help is okay, crazy! what was I thinking that I could do it alone.

I caught myself saying to someone.. I'm okay saying I'm not okay. Also, being okay is not okay. I want to be great! Just "getting by" in any area of life is not okay.. what is missing?, what needs to be done.? We all have the answers inside.
So.... I've been going to a counsellor and very thankful for being encouraged and finally having the courage to go. Making progress feels great! Reconnecting and slowing down to take a look at it all has made a big difference.

My advice, if you feel that something is on your mind, not sure how to deal, what to do? Talk it out with someone. Sometimes the leading up to a decision or lack of decision is the hardest part. You soon realize what was all the fuss about?

So that's me and my emotional life. What do you find is on your mind that you just haven't taken care of yet? Go do it!

What drives you?

I bring up this question because we are all so busy with our lives that sometimes we forget why we are doing certain things.



Brings me to why I have chosen this career path as a Financial Advisor. I think it's important that you know why.

Been a tough road for me.. oh about the last 10 yrs I guess. I actually have not really thought so until now.

Let me start with my story.



10 yrs ago I saw my Mom suffer from a terrible illness (ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease) She was only 53, I was only 23 when she died. I was young, finishing University and not really sure how to deal with all of this. I somehow managed to get by emotionally. This event in my life has made a huge impact in all sorts of ways.



Fast forward a few years and I have an amazing spouse, son, condo. Yipee! life is fantastic!

Then, my Dad passed away suddenly from a heart attack! 68 yrs old and should have lived a long life. A great Dad, big heart... Here is what happened though.. he was remarried and left everything to his new wife. The house yes, no life insurance, etc. As a grown adult no I did not expect a windfall however I would have expected him to think ahead and be better prepared for my brother and I, his grandson. You can't go back, so this is when I decided to make it my mission to help people now and in to the future to be better prepared for their families.



Okay, so if that wasn't enough, shortly after my spouse was diagnosed with breast cancer! Yes, she was 34 yrs old, we had a condo (mortgage payments), young son, other bills to pay.. you know... LIFE. So here it goes, luckily we had critical illness insurance! Yep, thankfully because what would we have done? Well, what we didn't have to worry about was money and how we would pay the bills, etc. That's what it's about. Making sure you've got plans in place to get through the rough patches of life.



Also, what about looking forward.. how will your retirement be? Will you be able to? Best time of your life? Well, having enough money to do the things you want to do will make it a whole lot better. You agree?



So, that's a bit of my story of why I do what I do. Of course I need to make a living for my family and I. I could be doing lots of different things, I will tell you though that this is what I have chosen to do, what I am driven to do. Helping you plan ahead, making sure you and your family are looked after.
Don't you think you owe it to yourself, your family to take the time now to make sure you've got plans in place?
I encourage you to contact me to discuss your situation. If there are areas of concern I'd be more than happy to help you.



Thanks!

Karen Di Venanzo

604-603-8571

karen.divenanzo@sunlife.com

Sunlife Financial

Why do I care so much you ask?

An email I sent out recently to some friends I plan to see while visiting.

The reason for my email is because for those who don't know I am a Financial Advisor with SunLife. I now have a dual license for both Ontario and BC. I know this is a topic of conversation for some that maybe uncomfortable. But I help people with more than just life insurance which everyone needs regardless of age/status. RRSP's, savings, RESP's, long term care, critical illness. I'm reaching out to my friends and family and want to make sure that the people in my life have a back up plan in case of the "what if". We had the "what if" and Tracy needed to take 1 year off work to get well. Thank god we had critical illness insurance that gave her/us a payout of $100,000 tax free to focus on getting well and not having to worry about bills. And thankfully she had life insurance because now with her cancer, she can't get it for 10 plus years. "I couldn't image dying from breast cancer at the time and leaving my family behind to deal with financial worries" (In Tracy's own words) The older you are, the more expensive it will get. Some of you may have coverage through work. But unless you plan on being there for the rest of your life, you need a plan b. You can contact me via email so it's completely confidential if you are interested in talking about your options. We will be in Toronto from Nov 3-Nov 17 and am filling my scheduleAs your friend, I feel better knowing that I maybe able to help you with the "what if" in life.Thanks, hope this finds you well
Karen Di Venanzo
karen.divenanzo@sunlife.com
604 683 6905 ext 205
604 603 8571

Friends and family are what we should be grateful for.

Today was the CIBC run for the cure in Vancouver and across Canada. My spouse of 11 yrs is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed at 34 yrs old (2 years ago) happy to report that she is cancer-free! I always believed she/we would get through it. Never once thought I would lose her. Call that optimism or just pure knowing or maybe just in denial that what we were about to face would ultimately change the rest of our lives. She tells our story much better....

She has become a frequent speaker at events.. the most recent was the opening ceremonies at the CIBC run for the cure in Vancouver today. Her message is clear and strong. It can happen to you, what if it happens to you? Know your body and be proactive with self exams. As a Mom with a young son it was the last thing we expected. You know what? We did get through it all with the support of friends,family and the excellent care she received.

Life throws us curve balls and the most important thing to remember is to always check in to what really matters... it's not the car, the phone, etc it's who you build relationships with. Reach out to the people you care about, ask for help when you need it. They will be there for you.

This is something I am finally able to do myself. Thank you to all our friends and family that have been there to support us in everything.

xoxo K